About Laura Murphy Expertise Do you have a question about nutrition, including which food is best for your pet and which should be avoided? If you’re researching homecooked or raw diets, this is the place. I can tell you everything you ever wanted to know about raw feeding. Do you want to know whether or not you need to supplement your pet’s diet and, if so, which supplements are for you? I can help you with just about any question regarding canine and feline nutrition and feeding. Although I believe in the benefits of raw feeding, I respect anyone trying to do the best thing for their pets and will answer questions on any type of pet food.
I can address many areas of holistic pet care, including illness, homeopathic remedies, herbal remedies, and flower essences. We can talk about everything from vaccinating (and when not to), to skin problems, to cancer. Please note that I am not a veterinarian and any health-related information is from my personal experience and research, but I can be a good resource.
I can also answer your questions about pet rescue, including when to use them and what kind of pet is right for you. And I love controversial subjects like puppy mills and animal experimentation. If I don’t know the answer to your question immediately, I’ll research it for you.
Basically, if you’re got a pet question – fire away. Chances are, I’ll have something you can use.
Laura Murphy
Experience An animal lover and owner all my life, I spent years as a foster parent for a national rescue group and as a volunteer at my local Humane League. Many years ago, I began researching and using natural health care methods to treat both my pets and my family. I have worked with holistic vets to develop and provide custom homeopathic and Bach Flower Essence blends for their clients. In 2002, I started Pets By Nature to give pet owners who are seeking a healthier and more natural way to feed and care for their pets a reliable source of education, support, guidance, and products. Relying on honesty, integrity, and openness with respect to natural health care for companion animals, I am able to provide quality products, services, and information with the intent of helping interested pet owners learn about and practice a more natural method of pet nutrition and health care.
Education/Credentials I am a college graduate and full time Business Systems Analyst. I have written many articles for publication on my web site and throughout the local pet community. I have been a vendor at local dog shows and do public speaking on the topics of pet nutrition and holistic health care.
Past/Present Clients My clients range from new pet owners to 4th generation raw feeding breeders. I enjoy a wonderful professional relationship with several veterinary practices who refer my diets, supplements, and homeopathics to many of their clients. I ship supplements and flower essences all over the world, and provide a quality frozen raw food to the Central Pennsylvania area. Virtually all of my marketing is word-of-mouth referrals from my current clients and I consider them all my extended family.
Question QUESTION: hi Laura my name is Jessica i currently have a jack Russell terrier and she's 3 years old and just got spayed and got her dew-claws removed i was wondering if i should change her food or anything and how much should i give her or should i let her eat freely?
ANSWER: Jessica,
What are you feeding her now?
Laura Murphy
Pets by Nature
www.petsbynature.com
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QUESTION: right now i am feeding her pedigree
Answer Jessica,
I believe Pedigree to be an extremely poor quality food. Unfortunately, Purina has a lot of money to spend on advertising and they make their food sound a lot better than it is.
The main ingredients in Pedigree are: Ground yellow corn, meat and bone meal, corn gluten meal, chicken by-product meal, animal fat (preserved with bha/bht), wheat mill run, natural poultry flavor, rice, salt, potassium chloride, caramel color, wheat flour, wheat gluten, vegetable oil.
The primary ingredients in the food are grains (it should be meat!). Corn is a problematic grain that is difficult for dogs to digest and thought to be the cause of a great many allergy and yeast infection problems. I prefer not to see this used in dog food.
Meat and bone meal is a low quality meat product for which it is impossible to determine the source. All meats should be identified by the animal (chicken, beef, turkey, etc.) not by the generic term "meat" or "poultry."
Corn appears a second time as corn gluten meal. The AAFCO definition of corn gluten meal is “the dried residue from corn after the removal of the larger part of the starch and germ, and the separation of the bran by the process employed in the wet milling manufacture of corn starch or syrup, or by enzymatic treatment of the endosperm”. In plain English, that which remains after all the nutritious bits have been removed.
The next ingredient is by-products. It is impossible to ascertain the quality of by-products and these are usually products that are of such low quality as to be rejected for use in the human food chain, or else are those parts that have so little value that they cannot be used elsewhere in either the human or pet food industries. The AAFCO definition of chicken by-product meal is “a meal consisting of the ground, rendered, clean parts of the carcass of slaughtered chicken, such as necks, feet, undeveloped eggs and intestines, exclusive of feathers, except in such amounts as might occur unavoidable in good processing practice.”
Animal fat is a further low quality ingredient and is impossible to determine the source. Unidentified ingredients are usually very low quality. AAFCO define this as "obtained from the tissues of mammals and/or poultry in the commercial processes of rendering or extracting. It consists predominantly of glyceride esters of fatty acids and contains no additions of free fatty acids. If an antioxidant is used, the common name or names must be indicated, followed by the words "used as a preservative".
Pedigree uses two chemical preservatives (BHA, BHT) which are believed to be carcinogenic, and are banned from use in human food. It also uses artificial color.
The 6th and 12th ingredients are fragments of wheat. The use of wheat is a significant negative: wheat is believed to be the number one cause of allergy problems in dog food. This is another ingredient I prefer not to see used at all in dog food.
Basically, Purina uses the cheapest ingredients possible. I would recommend upgrading her food to any of the premium, natural, holistic foods available.
Check out a site called www.dogfoodanalysis.com. Most of the information above comes from there. Pedigree is one of their lowest rated foods. If you could upgrade even to a 4-star food, it would be better than what she's getting now. If you could go to a 5-star or 6-star, even better.
Food is the number one most important thing we can do for our pets. I believe feeding a healthy, species appropriate (meat, not grains) diet is the best way to get and keep our pets healthy.
